Two connections occurred to me while reading: first, Carl Trueman reminding his readers.students that, historically speaking, having a personal Bible, let alone a room in which one could have private devotions, is very rare and recent. Scripture and prayer time were experienced as a community in a way harder to imagine today. Two: I am reminded of how Charlotte Mason encourages parents to tell stories to their children, especially during the youngest years, instead of reading them stories. There's something powerful in telling stories yourself, aloud, and I think we could say something similar in general about books and storytelling today as the point you're making about the Bible: books are wonderful (I spend most of my time dealing with books in one way or another), but they shouldn't replace oral storytelling. There's something amiss when young parents are behooved to read, read, read to their children rather than prioritizing *telling* them stories—Bible stories, saint stories, folk tales, and family stories, and then letting them know the real world—real rabbits and trees and streams rather than a picture book about them. There's plenty of time for beautiful books. And to prepare someone to be a poet, and to appreciate poetry (including the Psalms!), is to know the real world—real sheep, real shepherds, real hepatica and caterpillars and ants and sand and chocolate-cake dirt.
Throw in vigorous discussion of all things Bible and practical in community, and I'm right there with you. We also need to note that personal quiet time alone isn't even commanded. Peter and John went together to pray. There is generally much more power in 2's and 3's than alone. Just because Jesus said pray at home instead of showing off in the marketplace with your ostentatious prayers, doesn't mean you have to, or are supposed to pray alone, and certainly not all the time or every day. Most Jewish families prayered together and people were seldom alone anyway. But nowadays it is pretty rare to find anyone really comfortable praying together as equals in a small group, because it seldom happens. I love fellowshipping with the Lord either alone or with others, but they work best together, not in competition or isolation of one way only.
As a fellow bibliophile, I do indeed appreciate and am grateful for the printing press. But I also lament it. It killed a more nobler thing than ever it birthed. I have been so blessed in the Orthodox Church to re-encounter a preserved haven of an oral experience of Scripture within a communal and liturgical context. It lived this way for millennia before the Nativity of Christ, and lives on. But so few people know of it!
I really appreciate this!
Two connections occurred to me while reading: first, Carl Trueman reminding his readers.students that, historically speaking, having a personal Bible, let alone a room in which one could have private devotions, is very rare and recent. Scripture and prayer time were experienced as a community in a way harder to imagine today. Two: I am reminded of how Charlotte Mason encourages parents to tell stories to their children, especially during the youngest years, instead of reading them stories. There's something powerful in telling stories yourself, aloud, and I think we could say something similar in general about books and storytelling today as the point you're making about the Bible: books are wonderful (I spend most of my time dealing with books in one way or another), but they shouldn't replace oral storytelling. There's something amiss when young parents are behooved to read, read, read to their children rather than prioritizing *telling* them stories—Bible stories, saint stories, folk tales, and family stories, and then letting them know the real world—real rabbits and trees and streams rather than a picture book about them. There's plenty of time for beautiful books. And to prepare someone to be a poet, and to appreciate poetry (including the Psalms!), is to know the real world—real sheep, real shepherds, real hepatica and caterpillars and ants and sand and chocolate-cake dirt.
Wonderful points!
Throw in vigorous discussion of all things Bible and practical in community, and I'm right there with you. We also need to note that personal quiet time alone isn't even commanded. Peter and John went together to pray. There is generally much more power in 2's and 3's than alone. Just because Jesus said pray at home instead of showing off in the marketplace with your ostentatious prayers, doesn't mean you have to, or are supposed to pray alone, and certainly not all the time or every day. Most Jewish families prayered together and people were seldom alone anyway. But nowadays it is pretty rare to find anyone really comfortable praying together as equals in a small group, because it seldom happens. I love fellowshipping with the Lord either alone or with others, but they work best together, not in competition or isolation of one way only.
As a fellow bibliophile, I do indeed appreciate and am grateful for the printing press. But I also lament it. It killed a more nobler thing than ever it birthed. I have been so blessed in the Orthodox Church to re-encounter a preserved haven of an oral experience of Scripture within a communal and liturgical context. It lived this way for millennia before the Nativity of Christ, and lives on. But so few people know of it!